Volkswagen Trucks and Buses
|divisions = |subsid = |homepage = VWtrucksandbuses.com |footnotes = |intl = yes }} Volkswagen Trucks and Buses (VTB), Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda (VWC), is a Brazilian manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Originally a part of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division of the Volkswagen Group (VWAG), as of 1 January 2009, it is under the ownership of MAN SE, which is 29.9% owned by Volkswagen. Volkswagen Trucks and Buses operation In 1979, Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG) acquired a 67% percent stake in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda. In January 1980, Volkswagen AG buys 100% of shares in Chrysler Motors do Brasil Ltda, therefore giving VWAG the rights in renaming the company to Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. released their first trucks in February/March 1981; the Volkswagen 11.130 and the Volkswagen 13.130, both had a reworked version of Volkswagen's Mk1 LT cabin, and were powered by MWM Motores Diesel Ltda (MWM) engines on Chrysler engineered platforms which were inherited from the takeover. AutoLatina years From 1990 to 1995, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses were built with Ford components as part of the AutoLatina venture, and were built in Ford's Ipiranga complex in Brazil. Once the AutoLatina marriage fell through, Volkswagen Group had no factory for its trucks and their parts, so Resende plant was built in 1995. Resende, rebirth of Volkswagen Trucks and Buses 1996, Resende was the official start for Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, developing their own parts and platforms. The Modular Consortium was introduced for the first time in Resende. Modular Consortium The Modular Consortium is the group of main suppliers that make the parts and assembles them for Volkswagen Truck and Bus on site in the Resende factory. Volkswagen Groups involvement is only in supplying the factory and inspection at the end of production; Volkswagen pays only a small amount of wages, as each partner of the Modular Consortium pays the workers. The Modular Consortium comprises these companies: *Maxion Sistemas Automotivos Ltda. manufacture the chassis parts such as Air Reservoir, Fuel Tank and Frame *ArvinMeritor manufacture the Suspension and Axle parts such as Springs and Hubs and Drums *Remon manufacture the Tires and Wheels *Aethra Karmann-Ghia manages the Body Shop *Carese manages the Paint Shop *Continental AG manufacture the Cab Trim components such as Seats and Instrument Panel Sales Most of the early sales of the Truck and Bus chassis' operations were mainly within South America; with the exception of small exportations to China and the Middle East. Prior to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' new role of managing the Truck and Bus operation; in 1994 Volkswagen imported to Germany a 7 tonne truck: the Volkswagen L80. Due to the European Union Gas Emissions EU4 standards; exports discontinued in late 2000. The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles era Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles took over the Brazilian Trucks and Buses operation in 2000 from Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary; this signaled the start of a new era for the Volkswagen Group in producing its own Heavy Truck and Bus Chassis Range, which covers the Gross Combination Mass of 5 tonnes to 57 tonnes category. Since Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have taken control; the company has been looking at expanding Truck and Bus sales to other markets outside of South America, South Africa and Middle East regions. All Volkswagen Truck and Buses are built in the Resende, Brazil factory and sent in Semi Knocked Down kits to Uitenhage in South Africa and Puebla in Mexico. Planned future markets for export are ASEAN and Eastern Europe countries. Volkswagen Truck and Bus division released in September 2005 the new Volkswagen Constellation range with a Gross Combination Mass from 33 tonnes to 57 tonnes. Volkswagen Trucks and Buses company facts *The Resende plant was built in 153 days at a cost of US$ 250 million dollars *The Resende plant adheres to International Standards ISO TS and ISO 14001 *Resende plant produces 140 vehicles per day in two working shifts and employs 3,045 workers.Locations – America – Resende (Brasil) *Volkswagen Trucks and Buses are sold in over 35 countries around the world. Some of the countries are Argentina, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. *Most of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus growth has been in the last eight years *All the 2007 Volkswagen Truck range are capable of operating in minus 20°C and plus 45°C; Middle East specified trucks can stand 55 degrees Celsius. BMB Mode Center Established in 2002 10 km from Resende the assembly plant, the BMB Mode Center is responsible for modifications to the truck and bus range that cannot be done on the production line. BMB Mode Center build: *For bus range: low entry buses and articulated buses. *For truck range: 4x4, 8x4 & 8x2 conversions as well as an armored truck & finally exterior design modifications. The BMB division moved in June 2006 to the new location 150 m outside the Resende Plant. The new location has 30,000 square metres of land; it cost Brazilian R$ 7 million to build. Volkswagen Trucks and Buses highlights 1980s ;January 1981: Volkswagen AG acquires 100% of the Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda ;February 1981: Volkswagen Caminhoes releases 1st trucks - 11.130, 13.130 and an ethanol powered truck ;March 1981: Changing of name from Chrysler Motors of Brazil Ltda to Volkswagen Caminhoes (Trucks) Ltda ;September 1982: Launching of 6 tonne truck range ;July 1984: Integration of Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. into Volkswagen do Brasil ;August 1984: Volkswagen 140, the first methane gas/biogas powered truck in Brazil ;July 1985: Volkswagen 11.130 exported to China ;July 1987: Truck division integrates with Ford Trucks with the formation of AutoLatina 1990s ;July 1990: Volkswagen Truck plant moves to Industrial Complex of the Ipiranga ;April 1993: Launching of the first Volksbus chassis 16.180 CO ;April 1994: Volkswagen Truck and Bus celebrate 100,000th VWCV truck produced ;June 1995 : Beginning of the Volkswagen L80 exports to Germany : Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda. announces Resende, Brazil as site for the construction of the future Truck and Bus plant ;November 1996: Volkswagen Caminhoes Ltda moves to new Resende plant ;September 1997: Commemoration of the 5000th vehicle made in the Resende plant ;June 1998 : Launching of the Volkswagen Trucks for the Argentine market : Export of completely knocked down kits of Volksbus microbus chassis to Colombia 2000s ;January 2000: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) of Germany, with headquarters in Hannover, assumes the responsibility for the Truck and Bus operation ;March 2000: Launching of Series 2000 ;April 2001: For the first time in its 20 years, the Volkswagen Caminhoes becomes leader in the Brazilian market for trucks ;August 2002: Volkswagen Truck and Bus has 30% market share of Brazilian market, Brazil is the Number 1 in the world, buyer of Buses and Number 2 for Trucks ;December 2002: Production of 100,000th Volkswagen truck in Resende ;July 2003: Volkswagen Truck and Bus participates in the International Rally of the Sertões, with three 8.150 trucks ;October 2003: Announcement of the creation of Volkswagen Truck and Bus Operation in Mexico, construction of an assembly line starts in the City of Puebla, Mexico ;November 2003: In pioneering research in Brazil, Volkswagen tests a Volksbus powered by biodiesel with the support of the Government of the State of Rio De Janeiro and the UFRJ, in the Riobiodiesel project ;April 2003: Volkswagen 18.310 successful for the first time in the Super European Truck Championship ;July 2003: Volkswagen Truck and Bus add three more vehicles in the RioBiodiesel programme ;August 2003: First Volkswagen truck production tests are conducted in the plant of Puebla, Mexico ;September 2003: Volkswagen announces construction of plant for Volkswagen Truck and Bus range in Port Elizabeth, South Africa ;October 2003 : The Puebla, Mexican Volkswagen plant officially opens : Volkswagen Titan 18.310 is champion in the Super European Truck Championships in the first year it competes ;October 2005: Beginning of the Volkswagen Truck and Bus operation inAfrica with the production of three Volksbus models ;November 2005: Volkswagen Truck and Bus release Delivery (5 to 8 tonnes) and Constellation (33 to 45 tonnes) lines ;June 2006 : The BMB Mode Centre is opened for specialised modification of Volkswagen Truck and Bus range : The [[Volkswagen Constellation|Constellation] Daycab is released ;September 2006: The top of the line 18.320 VIP Volksbus is released ;February 2007: Release of the 31.320 6x4 Constellation and 15.190, 17.230 Volksbus line ;8 August 2007: Volkswagen Truck and Bus released the most powerful engine - the Volkswagen NGD 370 in the Constellation lineup.http://vwgazette.blogspot.com/2007/08/vw-constellation-370-revealed-93l-57.html ;22 August 2007: Volkswagen produce the first right hand drive heavy truck in the companies history with the release of the Constellation range in South Africa ;8 August 2008: Volkswagen releases a new robotised transmission in co-operation with ZF Friedrichshafen AG for the Volksbus range ;15 December 2008: Volkswagen AG sells Volkswagen Trucks and Buses to MAN SE.http://vwphaetonfan.blogspot.com/2008/12/volkswagen-sells-heavy-truck-business.html Models *Volkswagen Constellation *Volkswagen Delivery *Volkswagen Volksbus *Volkswagen Worker Image:Vw l80 sst.jpg|Volkswagen L80 1995—2000 Image:Caminhaocegonha.jpg|Volkswagen 18.310 Tractor 1996—2005 Image:VW Constellation BRA.JPG|Volkswagen Constellation 19.320 Titan Tractor Image:Formula Truck 2006 Interlagos Volkswagen leads.jpg|Constellation Brazilian Fórmula Truck in a round at Interlagos in 2006 Image:Formula Truck 2006 Curitiba Pace Truck.jpg|Fórmula Truck 2006 Curitiba Pace Truck Image:Hércules C-130 pousado.jpg|Volkswagen Delivery 8.150 Image:Cimento caminhao.JPG|Volkswagen Worker 26-260E (6x4) Image:Cidade verde 14170.jpg|Volksbus 17.260 EOT 2005—present Image:Capital do Vale 3180 - Marcopolo Viale - Volksbus 17.240.JPG|Volksbus 17.240 with a Marcopolo body Image:Real 1445 - Marcopolo Torino 7 - Volksbus 17.230 EOD.JPG|Volksbus 17.230 EOD with a Marcopolo body References External links ;official sites *Volkswagen Trucks and Buses International portal *Volkswagen Brazil Truck & Bus website *BMB Mode Center (VW Truck & Buses Modification Branch) ;unaffiliated sites *South African Constellation & Volksbus Specifications *Volkswagen Trucks in Colombia Category:Truck manufacturers of Brazil Category:Bus manufacturers of Brazil Category:Volkswagen Category:MAN Category:Companies founded in 1995 Category:Chrysler Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers of Brazil Category:Companies of Brazil Category:Volkswagen Trucks and Buses